Short Report: Xterra Wales
June 21st, 2008 by Dan Hugo
Eish. Good fortunes must run fry at some stage with my planning not always to scratch. Had a great swim, lead on, leading pack with many of the favourites though. Stotlz got away even before the 10km climb and was really biking well. I was soon joined by a few, eventually 7 of us climbed together, pushed on by Nico Lebrun. Whittled it down to three, then just Lebrun and myself. Encouraging being able to ride with one of Xterra’s great’s. On a rock bed some ways back down the mountain I sliced my rear tire. I’m not the fastest at popping the tube in… And cold fingers in fine drizzle didnt help neither. This was the least of the disaster though. My brakes were gone soon after. Metal on metal in the back, and minimal on the front. Two light crashes before a big spill that scrared me enough to run the few last descents. Ran alright, just trying to coast on a course that doesnt allow any coasting… The most brutal run I’ve ever done. Finished 9th.
Men’s Result:
1 Nico Lebrun 2:47:41
2 Conrad Stoltz 2:48:37
3 Ronnie Dietz 2:52:12
4 Jorg Scheiderbauer 2:55:57
5 Lieuwe Boonstra 2:57:26
6 Sam Gardener 2:58:37
7 Victor Del Corral 3:00:34
8 Jim Thijs 3:02:51
9 Dan Hugo 3:02:51
Late for prize giving. More later.
| Pre-race breakfast | Race Report: Xterra Wales Championships 2008, Neath |
June 21st, 2008 at 9:13 pm
A champion result!
Reminds me of my last sprint triathlon for which I forgot to tighten the stem so the stearing wheel moved all the way to the left and I rode like that for about 10mins until I stopped to fix it.
My coach always loves the story of this Russian kid at European Junior champs who fell of the bike, picked himself up, ran with a bike, switched a wheel, finished the bike and still had an awesome run.
Bravo Dan!
June 21st, 2008 at 11:27 pm
Well, I would consider past results a good indicator of your conditioning and we all know who you were challenging. The part that I appreciate about your race is that you finished. There is one thing that racing teaches us all and its that you finish what you started, no matter the conditions. I admire athletes that finish in the face of adversity. This is only the beginning of a great journey for you Dan. Get some rest and we’ll look forward to updates on the trip to the Czech. Give our love to Ruth! Team Sweetlove 2008!
Justin
June 22nd, 2008 at 2:36 am
An epic journey after an epic week. One to go down in your book of learning curves history. Well finished - big life skills and experience. Learning more about you Dan as these races progress!! Am suitably impressed!! Must have been a toughie for Ruth - Well done childie!!
June 22nd, 2008 at 5:24 am
Oh Dan, that word “eish” defines it, as the opposite of “magic”? Is that correct? I crashed badly today in prep for Tahoe City and I want to describe it as “eish”, I think I said something else but can’t remember. Best wishes for your travel and competition in the next event. Living precariously through you, it is so mental after a crash - you are awesome, make it yours!!!! XOXO
June 22nd, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Dan the man………
As all the comment about - this is another triumph in itself. Sometimes things dont go the way you plan them, but that doesn’t make it a failure. Old line - “what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger….” right? There is no better school of learning thatn EXPERIENCE. Put this in your pocket bud and keep riding on. Somewhere this experience will carry you through the next tough race, you will smile, put the head down and just keep spinning those wheels! (Like going over that hump where you crashed and broke your hand last year……)
How boring life would have been if everything was plain sailing? It makes us who we are…..thats the beauty of what you (we) do. We will never be bigger than the game….
Your still the champ!
chef
June 23rd, 2008 at 6:44 am
Amazing Dan! Glad you made it through in one piece!
Thanks for keeping us all up to date! Good luck next week!
Rich
June 23rd, 2008 at 11:36 am
Xterra is about overcoming all the obstacles, It wouldn’t be much fun if it was always plain sailing!
Your Xterra Wales experience will make your next podium that much more rewarding and the feats of the past even more special!
I have no doubt that you will be back on top….so in the meantime, Keep you chin up and your rear tire full of air!:smile:
Take care
Chris
June 23rd, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Was pretty shocked today when I looked at my brakes or lack there of…NONE on the front and maybe a third of one on the back
guess they weren’t kidding when they said that course “eats brake pads.” When I was braking as hard as I could on some of the last hills and was still going pretty fast I thought it was because it was so steep 
Good luck in Czech.
About to go surfing in Jersey
Emma
June 23rd, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Hello Dan, Jammer om te hoor van al jou probleme met die resies. Ek’s bly jy’t in elk geval goed klaar gemaak en is baie beindruk met drie Suid-Afrikaners in die top tien! Sterkte vir die komende naweek.
June 23rd, 2008 at 11:25 pm
With all that yummy looking breakfast grub you must have been about four kilos above your normal race weight. No wonder you flatted and wore out your brakes, lucky you didn’t collapse a rim or worse, it’s all just physics. See what happens when I’m not there to test your food for you.
From all available accounts it must have been a wild race, and a small break in your endless summer. I am eager to read a full accounting of the ENTIRE experience, not just the racing part. So far the best part is Dan with his bike sitting next to the businessman. As far as the racing part goes, what did you learn grasshopper?
Oh, also, I finally saw some of Ruth’s videos on another computer. I had no idea of the quality of production. Most excellent Ruth! Great music and editing. Fantastic feel for the venues and countryside. Not enough hot babe shots.
June 24th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Hey Guys,
Thanks so much for the comments. Really appreciate it. Makes even me want to check dghugo.com… Teasing aside, I take the encouragement to heart and am indebted to your support.
The right shoulder is still a bit bruised up, but else I’m good to go. Will try new brake pads somewhere in Switzerland today, and get the wheels turning again.
Lauren, “eish” is a very important expression, and means many things to many South African’s. It would have been most appropriate when crashing, well, when surviving a crash more so. Hope you’ll be alright to race this weekend?
A few I’ve talked to had no brakes left by the end Emma. A few km on and I’m sure most people would have been in the same sinking ship. Reminded me of stories from the Cape Epic Day1 a few years back. About half the field of 1000 riders were running their bikes down hill. A worse prospect over a 100km+ stage. I think its just a feature of some soil types, to make a sand paper like sander between rotor and pads. Hope the surf was good?
For all those commending me for finishing - take it easy on the praise. There honestly wasnt anywhere to stop on the mountain and keeping going was the best bet at warmth… Haha. But thanks.
Master Brian, there sure werent any ‘hot babes’ to film this past weekend. Cold ones perhaps. I dont know fussy you are? But apparently Czech should be different.
Thanks for the comments all. You’re making the blog come alive.
Cheers.
Dan